It is hard to believe that Memorial Day is nearly upon us – this year has moved quickly in many respects. From all of us to all of you, we express our deepest gratitude and respect to the brave men and women who have fallen in their selfless service to this great country of ours. We reflect upon our freedoms and rights, and can hardly imagine the sacrifice that so many have made to protect them… Have a safe and enjoyable weekend ahead as you reflect this holiday weekend!

176 Club Course Drive
$996,900
Every once in awhile, a home becomes available that is in absolutely pristine condition – better than new – and this is one of those properties. This superbly-cared-for home is light and bright throughout its 2-story floorplan and features nearly 3,900 heated square feet of well-planned living space plus extensive outdoor living space on the large back deck overlooking the 5th fairway of the Sea Pines Country Club private golf course. A tremendous home at a tremendous value in one of Sea Pines Plantation's most popular residential neighborhoods…Hurry, this won't last long!

As a means of exposing you to different areas of Hilton Head Island / Bluffton, we present this interesting and entertaining section of our email newsletter. Below, you will see photographs taken of a very specific location in our area...and all you have to do is guess where it is! Well, actually, we tell you at THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER, so don't get too frustrated if you can't figure it out. Have fun with it...and good guessing!)

Inventory Stabilizing
The inventory level of properties currently listed for sale seems to have plateaued over the past month, and we are now starting to see a nice increase in the number of new contracts throughout the marketplace. Buyer traffic is picking up as we head into the prime vacation months of the year, and we expect to see positive trends continue into the summer.

New Developments
Excited about new developments and getting in on the ground floor? Not sure where the best opportunities are? Need a guiding hand? We work in this market everyday, and it is challenging enough for US to keep up with all the new developments throughout the area – so we know how you feel. Yet, we are committed to staying on top of each opportunity, and we welcome the chance to present to you our TOP-3 PICKS for the consideration of you investors out there. Just shoot us an email with TOP-3 PICKS in the header, and we will share our insight with you.

We hope that you find the following tip on home maintenance, etc. to be helpful. If so, feel free to pass it along to a friend.

This Month's Tip
Irrigation and Water Conservation: Irrigation systems can be your friend to begin with and your foe over time. Most new plants need regularly scheduled watering to survive, and then, over time, they become less dependent upon the irrigation system and more tolerant of dry-spells between rains (within reason). Also, over time irrigation heads can get out of alignment and start watering walkways, driveways and even your house (beware of wood rot!). And, power outages can throw your irrigation control/clock out of whack, altering watering times, duration, etc.. All of these can lead to an unnecessary waste of water over time, and it makes good sense to check your entire system at least once a month, reviewing spray patterns, looking for leaks or broken heads, making adjustments where needed to only provide as much water as the existing plants need to thrive, etc.. You might save a buck or two, while saving precious water at the same time.

Across the Country
In order to help put our local market into perspective, we have provided some nationwide real estate news that we hope you will find interesting. Just click on the USA map to the right to access this section of our newsletter...and be sure to let us know if you have any questions or comments.

Gulf Coast Relief
Juan Andricain recently journeyed to the Gulf Coast on a relief-effort trip with several of his friends and peers in the community. They worked on 6 houses in 8 days, tearing out destroyed sheetrock, removed debris, etc.. resulting from Hurricane Katrina. The work was exhausting, yet altogether rewarding, and Juan and the Team are now working on a local fund-raiser to pay for additional relief trips to the Gulf Coast. More news on this to follow.

May Birthdays
Please join us in extending a very happy birthday wish to Juan Andricain, Kent Collins, and Joan Weaver, all of whom celebrated birthdays in May!!!!

Juan Andricain

Kent Collins

Joan Weaver

On-Line Market Reports
We are pleased to be offering detailed real estate market reports for every neighborhood in Bluffton on our website www.MayerCollinsBluffton.com starting June 1st, 2006. These reports will provide property owners and buyers alike the opportunity to collect current data on active, pending and recently-sold properties by neighborhood. We are excited about this new tool, and we hope you take a moment to check them out next month.

An Old Classic Renewed
For those of you who love waterfront dining, you owe it to yourself to check out the newly-renovated Topside at Quarterdeck in Harbour Town (Sea Pines). This long-standing landmark at the base of the lighthouse is an ideal location for enjoying sunsets, water views and harbour-bound boats…all matched with an outstanding new menu of fresh seafood, steaks and more. And, of course, there is nothing that says “island” more than a cold beer and warm crab legs on the side and rear porches…Enjoy!

Summer Concert Series
Hey music lovers…get ready to enjoy some great entertainment in Harbour Town again this Summer. Currently-booked shows include Kenny Rogers and Hootie and the Blowfish. Shows are scheduled for August, with a surprise 3rd concert to be announced. Check out details on www.hightideconcerts.com.

New Veterans Park
For those of you who will be in town for Memorial Day, there will be a dedication scheduled at the newly-completed Veterans Memorial Park at the Shelter Cove Community Park at 10:30 a.m. Monday morning.

Congratulations are in order for our April E-mail
Newsletter Drawing Winner

Paula Babin, Hilton Head Island

As a recipient of this e-mail newsletter, you are automatically entered into our drawing for next month's giveaway. Good Luck...and don't forget to pass this along to a friend so they can sign up to be a recipient of the newsletter and an entry in our drawing! Thanks! Simply click here to enter.

Collins Group Realty Bluffton Office. Our newest office is located at 101 professional center, just before the main entrance to Westbury Park. This strategic location allows us to better serve our Mainland clients, and bring the great service we are known for on the Island to Bluffton.